If seedlings of Lignum Vitae, West Indian Mahogany, West Indian Cedar, Red Bullet, West Indian Ebony, West Indian Satinwood etc were available, would I have buyers?

If organic whole leaf Aloe Vera was available,
would I have buyers?

What about the soil binder and aromatic (root) grass Vetiver (Khus Khus)? Any interest in plants etc?

Definitely - I live in Florida and always wanted to get seeds from Jamaica such as the Casha tree.
Also vegetable seeds, we do get some here but they are not the same.

Other than Della's in Belmont and one vendor at
Whitehouse new market, MoBay is the usual
source for buying unusual plants one can't take a slip or seed from elsewhere -- like jade vine and New Guinea red vine and salt/marine tolerant plants. There is a demand in TB
for soil-erosion control plants/deep rooters
as well as ornamentals like traveller's palms
and other storm-resistant and drought-resistant
plants like echeverria and agaves. There's an old aloe 'plantation' in Fort Charles someone tried to make a go of years ago. Since seedlings
can't be exported without great difficulty/paperwork and transport probs, if you're in TB area, would suggest you talk to
the caretakers/owners of villas who are the most likely candidates for your nursery services.

Why would you want Casha tree, it's costing me Thousand to rid of them in Jamaica.

Hi Florida Girl, I meant young trees but seed sales might do it too.

If you are talking about bringing live plants into the US from Jamaica I think you may have a problem getting them through US Customs, especially as they could be carrying insects that are not native to the US and could be potentially harmful. Also many plants taken out of their native habitat can become pests in their new home and choke out the native flora.
I believe this is what happened with the kudzu vine in the Southern USA.

I would LOVE to buy some! How do I get them from you? I live in Ohio, in the summer they would be fine, but in the winter, would they be ok as houseplants?

Seeds, as long as they're fumigated/treated, generally avoid customs restrictions into the
U.S. (but not always). Bulbs (like spider lilies) are a no-go. If you're aiming for the US market, check the magazine TROPICAL GARDENER, 13727 SW 152 St,Suite 222 Miami FL 33177=9940
for a subscription and better look into what's
in demand.

I am thinking more of local sale as the idea is to have a tree and herb nursery that has available disapearing plants such as Lignum Vitae and Ebony.

West Indian Ebony (Brya Ebenus) or rain tree thrives in Kingston and coastal St Liz both being hot and dry. The wood was used for flutes, bagpipes, furniture inlay and small lath turned boxes. It is rare in the current exotic wood market.

The virtues of our Mahogany and Cedar are legendary. Ask about Red Bullet wood next time you see a Jamaican old timer with the hands of a woodworker.

Aloe Vera was introduced in Spanish times probably via the Moors and it has thrived and never proved an invasive species. The full biological strength is available in the uncut, unpulverised leaf without anti oxidants to preserve the gel. Again I am thinking small and for local distribution. There are many colonies of Aloe Vera throughout Jamaica, I'm not sure what happened with the field near Nannyland and Caijahn.

Vetiver grass has many uses. The washed and dried root was woven into fans which would give breeze and the magic scent of Khus Khus oil. It is an excelent soil stabiliser and found where the old public works had them planted. I am sure I would have no trouble selling the esential oil in Jamaica where its virtues are still remembered.

The slow growing trees are a long term investment only increasing the value of land if properly selected, planted and cared for.

This idea ties in with the reforestation of TB.

Hi jeannie, I have not started this project yet but am grateful for any feedback or advice.

I would think all the trees could be grown from seed and cultured as bonsai or larger indoors with some outdoors in summer.

I grow fine Aloe Vera indoors through freeze and outdoors in summer.

I am thinking of local sales but there are procedures to get plants into the USA.

Turey I think it's about time you find something better to do. Are you employed? if you are looking for employment I might be able to help. Operating your own business is a good idea though.

Is Turey, Traveller and Tiverton House the same person? The writing is remarkably similar.

Now what got you so upset canada?

Do you think this plan to stimulate reforestation in TB is foolishness?

3 different posters.

Hi guys! We live in Florida, and I and most of my friends grow a few aloe plants in our yard to treat sunburn and bug bites. Whenever you need some, you just cut a piece off, slice it open, and smear on the juice. I am not sure whether it is native or not, but my grandmother grew them, so they have been here quite a while. They are not invasive.

On the other hand, we are having a terrible problem with other,invasive non-native plants here, so it is a consideration!

Hi Janet, there are over 300 species of Aloe.

Aloe Vera has been used for centuries for its healing properties.

You are fortunate to have fresh leaves available as the gel retains its strength in the unprocessed leaf.

It is not native to Florida or Jamaica probably Arabia. It is non invasive and a great helper.

Again it is not my intention to export any plants but encourage the propagation of useful and endangered species locally and utilise some non indigenous or endemic ones like Aloe Vera and Vetiver grass.

As a kid growing up in Manchester we used to go off into the woods cutting trees at random i do regret doing so i wish i had someone to educate me how damaging this can be to our environment i say if trees can be planted in TB please do so i now have deep love for nature &wild life i just cant get enough of it .Lets preserve this world for the future generation every tree planted ensure a good source of oxygen for us & the future .Love you all.

To Turey you hit a home run on re forestation for TB i wish the population could see that they have a responsibility to preserve our fragile environment we are seeing so much of nature & wild life going extinct its a very important subject . Iexpect to see more on this topic .

Thanks Robin, I look forward to putting ideas to work.

I am the person that used to grow Aloe and make a drink from it in Fort Charles.

If I can be of assistance, please contact me.

Hello Gladys, do you still cultivate and process Aloe?

Hello Turey,

No I do not.

Jamaica Observer
Balancing environment and investment

Barbara Gloudon
Friday, May 19, 2006



Barbara Gloudon
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY was the biggest news story of this week? The cement debacle? Contending parties have been lining up to make that topic the bout, just not of this week but weeks to come.

In my estimation, however, the biggest headline should be the court ruling against the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) in the matter of the environmental permit for the construction of the Bahia Principe Hotel being built by Spanish investors at Runaway Bay.

It is not just a matter that the judge who heard the case brought against the agencies by two environmental groups - the Northern Jamaica Conservation Association and the Jamaica Environmental Trust - slated the way the agencies went about granting permits for the project. It is the implication for the way investment projects involving the natural environment will have to be treated in the future.

The concerns were that the land at Pear Tree Bottom was ecologically sensitive and that NEPA and NRCA, in the opinion of the complainants, did not carry out the legal requirements to heed the expressions of concern.
Consequently, the permits to Bahia Principe to proceed with the building were improperly issued, a conclusion with which the Supreme Court's Justice Sykes concurred. The NRCA and NEPA have been given 21 days to appeal the judge's ruling.

The Bahia Principe project is one of the big fish which the government landed in its investment quest over recent years. Former Prime Minister Patterson spoke with pride of it as one of the success stories in attracting European investment in the tourist industry. The implication for the provision of jobs, the infusion of capital into the construction industry, the possibilities for development of communities in and around Runaway Bay, all have been hailed as valuable to the Jamaican economy.

The Spanish cannot be amused at the turn of events. Work is already ongoing with expectation that sections of the project will be completed by this year-end. It is almost certain that if things do not work out according to plan, there will be legal consequences. While the 21-day hiatus is on for the appeal process, work continues on the site, I've been told. After that, it will be seen where things go, depending on the course of events in the courts.

WHEN I SPOKE with one of the leaders of one of the groups which brought the legal action against the environmental agencies, she gave a long list of concerns about the Pear Tree Bottom land and what will be deleterious effects caused by the hotel project. According to her, the eco-system was not only fragile but extremely valuable in the species of birds, insects, flora, etc. She also made reference to the sea coast which bordered the property and the coral reefs which required protection. All this, she said, had been pointed out to the environmental agencies in meetings and consultations and yet the permits were issued.

People sensitive to preserving the environment of Pear Tree Bottom also felt that a development, which was not the all-inclusive blocks of concrete, would be of greater benefit. There were many questions which, in the eyes of the concerned citizens, needed to be answered, not the least of which was the matter of sewage disposal. It was all that which the public objection was about. The granting of the permits did not take those concerns into consideration, it seems.

The spokesperson said she and her colleagues were quite conscious of the economic value of the project to Jamaica, but it was equally important to protect the ecological heritage also. While these issues were not the substance of the lawsuit, they will re-surface to be sure as the debate goes on.

ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT, Mrs Pat Francis, CEO of JAMPRO, the government investment agency, was seen via TVJ News, articulating her disappointment and distress at the turn of events. She was speaking at a function where the Spanish ambassador was honouring her for the role played in bringing about investments between Jamaica and Spain. She warned that litigation most likely will ensue, as well as loss of confidence in Jamaica's investment initiatives.

The next day, Mrs Francis confirmed to me that inquiries were already being received from prospective investors as to the situation here. Among them were people who had permits from the environmental agencies but who are nervous as to whether they too could find themselves in problems. Clearly, the story is just beginning. Without a doubt, there's more to come.

This may well be a watershed case in balancing the environment and investment. Up to now, I do not believe we have given too much thought to it but we cannot dodge it now. On an individual note, it carries personal implications for many of us.

AS I TRAVEL ROUND JA COUNTRYSIDE, I get this feeling of growing sadness that some - maybe much - of the vistas which have given so much pleasure to so many of us, are rapidly disappearing. It hurts to see developers being allowed to erect high walls around schemes, blocking all views of the sea.

In other places, trees which took years to mature and which provided life support for other plants, have been ruthlessly mowed down, to be replaced by concrete and steel. Little by little, we stand to lose our heritage, if we're not vigilant.

I know that we have to have progress to provide jobs, support the economy and so on, but all such benefits will be as nought if we do not put in place measures to save the environment which is uniquely ours.

If not only for me I plead - leave something for my grand-children - do, I beg you! God help us, the day when we will not be able to dip a toe in our own sea-water or eat a fruit which comes from our own trees! We must can find a sensitive way to balance development and preservation.